The Log of the Asiatic Fleet. In the early 1900's America maintained a fleet of river boats on the Yangtzee and in China coastal ports. The movie "Sand Pebbles" with Steve McQueen is a classic portrayal. The entire fleet was known as the Asiatic Fleet. Veterans of the later time maintain an association served by a newsletter and by this log. A Facebook group and other links below assist with communications.

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Saturday, August 18, 2007

Fair Winds and Following Seas - Walter Ashe

Asiatic Fleet Historian: WalterF.Ashe, Lt.SC, USN (Ret) (91) died July 26, 2007. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, he was the son of WalterF.Ashe, Sr. and Genevieve (Ashe) Ross. Walter a decorated Navy Supply Corps Lieutenant served in WWII and the Korean conflict and retired from the U. S. Navy, after 30 years honorable service, in Key West, Fla. on October 1, 1966.

Among the many ships and stations he served, two were his favorites: the USS ASHEVILLE (PG21) and the battle-ship North Carolina (BB-55) 1941-1943. He served in all enlisted ratings, promoted to warrant officer in 1945 and selected for Lieutenant in 1961.

Upon retirement from the U. S. Navy at NAS Key West, he undertook a career as a professional artist and opened the Key West Guild Hall Gallery. In 1983, he moved his family to Asheville, NC. In 1984, he organized, with the sponsorship of the Asheville Citizen-Times, a reunion for the former USS ASHEVILLE sailors who perished during battle in World War II on March 3, 1942. It became a permanent organization. He established the Naval Exhibit at the City Hall to display artifacts from the four warships named after our city. For these efforts, he received the 1992 Western North Carolina Historical Society Achievement Award. In 1986, then Mayor LouisBisette appointed him to a committee to achieve a new warship named after our city. With his help, the members of the committee saw the USS ASHEVILLE (SSN-758) commissioned September 28, 1991.

In 1998, he relieved Rear Admiral KempTolley, USN (RET) as editor of the Navy newsletter China GunBoatMan. He held that position until December 2006.

He was a member of the Asheville Fleet Reserve Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a volunteer for the Asheville Police Department, and a member of St. Eugene Catholic Church while in Asheville. He recently moved to Jacksonville, Florida to Fleet Landing to be closer to his daughter and grandchildren.

1 comment:

It is indeed a sad think to know. I suspected he was running on a short leash as he prepared to move South.What a wonderful human being! I hope I learned some life lessons from his example. I can surely say that about so many of you of the Asiatic Fleet. I am indeed sad. But yes, I am happy to be given the opportunity to know Walter ... and the finest group of veterans I ever knew.

Vic ...I placed the obituary on the Blog... the electronic news board for the Asiatic Vets and the China gunboatmen.Please suggest to all that I am only too pleased to take any email you send me and post it on the blog. Walter encouraged it as long as his health could hold out. He amazed me at his own acumen for the electronic media.